For many in the industry, promotional products become something of a passion. But that doesn’t mean promo pros don’t have outside interests and hobbies they’re enthusiastic about.

For Hank Frisch and Marcella Minorini of Cleveland-based Team Promotions (PPAI 2110287, D3), running your own distributorship means doing it the way that works for you and your business while making sure not to abandon what keeps you motivated and energized.

So, Frisch and Minorini took six days to do something they both love. They hopped on their bicycles and pedaled across the state of Ohio. This wasn’t strictly personal time, however. The duo continued to do business on the road and even cycled to meet a supplier partner.

The Journey

The Team Promotions duo’s journey covered the state of Ohio, starting in Cleveland August 29 and ending in Cincinnati September 3.

“The total six-day trip covered 360 miles of beautiful farmland, small towns and the major cites of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati,” Frisch says.

  • Near Cincinnati, Minorini and Frisch actually crossed a bridge into Covington, Kentucky, making it a multi-state excursion.

Midway through the trip, they stopped in Fredericksburg, Ohio, where they were provided shelter by an Amish family who were also cyclist enthusiasts they had met on a previous trip. Nourished with a homecooked meal and a bolstered friendship, Team Promotions woke up the next day ready to continue their journey.

 

Promo Didn’t Stop

The trip was not strictly a vacation. Frisch says the company, “remained committed to providing top-quality promotional products and forging meaningful connections within the industry.”

When business needed to be conducted, Frisch and Minorini found a way to get it done. At times, they would pull off to a nearby bench or rest stop, briefly turning their open environment into their own personal office.

  • While cycling through Columbus, Team Promotions organized an impromptu dinner meeting with Cecelia Chicone, the company’s Logomark representative to discuss promotional product trends, cycling and life.

 

“This gathering not only solidified their business relationship but also fostered a deeper sense of camaraderie,” Frisch says.

In the promo industry and in life, it’s said that complacency can sneak up and dull one’s possibilities.  Team Promotions’ journey via bicycle was an opportunity to get out and become reinvigorated.